Playing-cards.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORSON N. BITZMAN, 0F POT'ISVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

PLAYING-CARDS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OnsoN N. RITZMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pottsville, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Playing-Cards, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to games, and more particularly to the class of playing cards.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of playing cards in which a determined number of persons may be amused when playing the game, which possess attractive and entertaining characteristics to interest the players.

Another object of the invention is the provision of playing cards in which a game when played will afford amusement, and at the same time instructthe players, making the same efficient in mathematics, without causing a loss of attraction or interest in masterin the game.

A fur ier object of the invention is the provision of playing cards which are neat and attractive in appearance, and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of one card of the pack. Fig. 2 is a similar view of another card. Fig. 3 is a similar view of another card. Fig. 4 is a similar view of another card. Fig. 5 is a similar view of another card. Fig. 6 is a similar view of another card. Fig. 7 is a similar View of another card.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 10 designates generally each card of a pack of playing cards, the same being of any desirable shape and size, and constructed from any suitable material, preferably cardboard, the pack being composed of one hundred and six individual cards, the same being arranged in independent series, each card of the said series being designated by the numerals 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, respectively, and an independent card 17. The cards of each series are consecutively numbered,'as at 18, from 1 to 20, inclusive, the character Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec 24,1912,

Application filed February 21, 1911.

Serial No. 609,911.

designated by 18 being printed upon the face of the card at the upper right and left hand corners, 19 and 20, respectively, thereof. The cards of the pack, both in each series and the independent card, are printed on their front faces with words and symbols designating different political organizations or parties, preferably five in number, for instance, the Republican, Democratic, Socialist, Prohibition, and Independent parties or organizations. In addition, the pack includes a further series of cards, bearing the word Politician and a suitable symbol therefor, together with the independent card bearing the word Grafter and a suitable symbol therefor. Each series 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of cards of the pack, includes twenty complementary designated cards, while the series 16 includes only five complementary cards, which are not numbered and likewise the independent card bears no number. Upon the front faces of the cards of the series 11 is printed the symbol representing an elephant, as at 21, and immediately beneath this symbol is printed the word Republican, as at 22, while on the front faces of the cards of the series 12 is printed the symbol of a donkey, as at 23, and immediatcly beneath the same is printed the word Democratic, as at 24. On the front faces of the cards of'the series 13 is printed the symbol of a rooster, as at 25, and immediately beneath the same is printed the word Independent, as at 26. On the front faces of the cards of the series 11 is printed the symbol of a star, as at 27, and beneath the same is printed the word Prohibition, as at 28. On the front faces of the cards of the series 15 is printed the symbol of a globe of the world, as at 29, and beneath the same is printed the word Socialist, as at 30. On the front faces of the cards of the series 16 is printed the representation of a well-dressed man, as at 31, and beneath the same is printed the word Politician, as at 32, and upon the independent card 17 is printed the representation of a man, as at 33, and beneath the same is printed the word GI-after, as at 34. In this manner, the cards of each series may be recognized and distinguished from the cards of the other series, and likewise the independent card. Numbers upon the cards of each series signify the votes for the political parties or organizations, in a manner as will be hereinafter more fully described The manner of and rules for playing the game are as follows: The pack of cards is shuttled in any ordinary Well-known manner, and the dealer gives to each player ten cards from the pack, the number of players in the game having been .previously determined, as tWo to ten persons may be participants. After the dealing of ten cards to each player, the remaining cards of the pack are laid aside. Now, the players read their cards, thus dealt to them, and the person having the independent card, designated as Grafter must announce the fact and lay this card aside, leaving him only nine cards to play With, While each of the other players has ten cards in his hand. Thus in this Way, the Grafter is justly punished. The person or player to the left of the dealer is re quired to announce his candidacy for a certain oflice on Whichever ticket of the parties or organizations he thinks he can control the largest number of votes. The cards designated the Politician of the pack maybe used on any party ticket of the political organizations or parties and are always the highest counting cards of the said pack. As previously stated, should the party to the left of the dealer think that he can control the largest number of votes on the Republican ticket, he should announce the office for Which he is running, for instance, mayor although any other office may be decided upon. After such player to the left of the dealer has announced his candidacy for a determined office, the remaining players must be candidates for the same oflice, but may, in their turn, choose their respective party. Each player at his elect-ion may choose the political party Which he desires to represent, and the cards captured on the playing of the cards signify on their face, the number of votes cast for their respective parties. As soon as all of the players in their respective turn have announced their candidacy, the person to the left of the dealer begins to play. This player should play the highest card of his oWn party. If he has a card designated Politician in his hand, that Would be highest card. Next to the card designated Politician, the remaining cards represent votes amounting to the numerals represented on the respective cards, and the said card should be played at his discretion. All of the other players must, in turn, play the same party card, or in other Words, follow suit. If the player cannot follow suit, he should play the card of another party Which, if it is a higher card, Would destroy the votes of the first player.

After the players all, in turn, have played a card, the cards played go to the player having played the highest card. The player taking the cards after the first play Will lead on the next succeeding play, and it is at his option to play any card he thinks best; the other players must, in turn, follow suit. lVhen the players have played their hands, in ten successive plays, each player counts the numbers on his cards, or those representing his party, thus giving him the total number of votes captured. The Politician cards do not count for any votes, being used only in playing. If for instance, the player Was a candidate on the Independent part-y ticket, and captured cards designating both the Socialist and Independent parties, the cards representing the Independent party Will only count as votes for such party for the player. In this manner, it Will be seen that by capturing cards representing the different political parties, the aggregate number of votes for each political party Will be destroyed for some other candidate at the close of the game. At the finish of the game, the players representing themselves as candidates for the respective political parties, should determine, by the cards captured, the number of votes counting for their party, and the player receiving the highest number of votes for the political party represented by him is elected to the office for Which he has announced his candidacy, thus'winning the game.

What is claimed is:

A deck of playing cards, consisting of a combined playing and counting set, a play ing set, and a penalizing card, the countingand-playing set consisting of different suits, each suit of one kind consisting of a series of cards, eachbearing on its face a designating symbol common to all the cards of that suit, and each card of a suit having a distinctive indicated value for playing and counting purposes, the cards of the playing suit having each a similar symbol distinctive from the counting-and-playing cards and having a playing value alone and superior to the playing value of any of the cards of the combined playing and counting sets, the penalizing card having neither a playing nor counting value.

In testimony whereof I affix my signa ture in presence of two Witnesses.

OR SON N. RITZMAN.

Witnesses:

WM. B. MIDDLETON, SYLvnsTER HOGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

